1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to garnish members having an air bag. The garnish members are installed and fixed to peripheries of a door opening in the interior of a vehicle body.
2. Description of Related Art Conventionally, a technology described in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 6-227340 (see FIGS. 1, 2, 3 of that document) has been well known as a technology in which an air bag apparatus is disposed at a position in the interior of a vehicle body where garnish members are disposed.
According to the above construction, an air bag and an inflator of the air bag apparatus are installed and fixed to a vehicle body successively together with the garnish members. Thus, it takes much time and trouble to install the air bag and the garnish members to the body at a position in which the garnish members are disposed.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above described problem and provide garnish members having an air bag which allow installation and fixing of an air bag and garnish members at a position in which the garnish members are disposed.
The object of the present invention is achieved by garnish members having an air bag therein. The garnish members are constructed and arranged to be installed and fixed to peripheries of a door opening in the interior of a vehicle body. The garnish members comprise: elongate garnish bodies constructed and arranged to be disposed in the interior of the vehicle body; fixing portions hinged to the garnish bodies at a rear side of the garnish bodies, the fixing portions being adapted to be fixed to the body. The fixing portions temporarily fix an air bag to the body so that the air bag can be mounted on the body. Brackets are provided at the fixing portions so as to maintain folding conditions of the air bag, the brackets can also be ruptured when the air bag is inflated.
The garnish members according to the present invention are temporarily fixed to the fixing portions such that the air bag can be mounted and fixed to the body. Thus, if the fixing portions of the garnish members are installed and fixed to the body, the air bag can be disposed at a predetermined position on the body.
That is, if the fixing portion is installed and fixed to the body, the air bag can be installed and fixed to the body easily.
After the air bag is installed and fixed, if inflation gas is supplied into the air bag from an inflator, the air bag begins to be inflated so that it ruptures the brackets maintaining its folded condition. Further, the air bag opens the garnish bodies which are hinged to the fixing portions. Thus, the air bag can be inflated largely such that there occurs no obstacle to an activation of the air bag apparatus.
Therefore, with the garnish members according to the present invention, the air bag is temporarily fixed thereto prior to installation and fixing to the body, and if the garnish members are disposed on the body, the air bag can be disposed at a predetermined position. Thus, installation and fixing of the air bag and the garnish members to the body can be achieved easily.